White Day and Cherry Blossom 2018
Apr 12, 2018, 5:19 pm
#77
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Takayama
Takayama is in bloom - probably a day or two before the height? (The cherry trees overhanging the picturesque Nakabashi bridge, in particular, are attracting hordes of tourists.) Which is perfect timing for their Spring festival this weekend. (Unfortunately heavy rain is forecast for Sunday afternoon, so tomorrow is probably the ideal day.)
Everywhere we have been the camellias have coincided with the cherries; in Takayama the magnolias are very prominent.
That brings our Sakura season to an end - not bad for people who said they weren’t going to chase cherry blossoms!
Everywhere we have been the camellias have coincided with the cherries; in Takayama the magnolias are very prominent.
That brings our Sakura season to an end - not bad for people who said they weren’t going to chase cherry blossoms!
Apr 16, 2018, 2:29 am
#79
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Sorry to resurrect this thread with non-cherry stuff - but my info is flower related.
Over the weekend we were in the Kiso Valley and there are still cherry blossoms at the higher altitude. But the real visual feast was flowering peach blossoms: swathes of white, pink and red blossoms - the red so intense it hurts your eyes.
Back in Tokyo, those who missed the cherry blossoms can still get a flower fix at the Bunkyo Azalea Festival at the Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo.
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things...zalea-festival
Over the weekend we were in the Kiso Valley and there are still cherry blossoms at the higher altitude. But the real visual feast was flowering peach blossoms: swathes of white, pink and red blossoms - the red so intense it hurts your eyes.
Back in Tokyo, those who missed the cherry blossoms can still get a flower fix at the Bunkyo Azalea Festival at the Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo.
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things...zalea-festival
Currently breathtakingly beautiful (I literally gasped when I came face to face with the display) the festival goes on until early May. Definitely worth a visit. Lots of people (though very few Caucasians - it doesn’t appear to have reached the guide books yet) and plenty of food stalls. One subway stop away from the serene, majestic Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens - so you can soothe your eyes with greenery (and some wisteria which is just starting to bloom) after the riotous colours of the azaleas.
Last edited by Cheetah_SA; Apr 16, 2018 at 7:10 am
Apr 16, 2018, 3:54 am
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,398
Nezu shrine is well covered In guide books, but the azaleas have only just burst into blossom in the last few days, it may take a while for visitors to catch up to the fact that they are in bloom. Azaleas have a good long season in Tokyo - they are the flower I most associate with the city.
We are leaving early tomorrow, but saw wisteria (my favourite) at Denboin gardens in Asakusa today. Looking forward to more wisteria next year - when Easter is later.
We are leaving early tomorrow, but saw wisteria (my favourite) at Denboin gardens in Asakusa today. Looking forward to more wisteria next year - when Easter is later.
Apr 16, 2018, 3:26 pm
#81
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
I was in Tenpyo No Oka park in Tochigi prefecture mid-last week and the trees are still in full bloom
天平の丘公園の桜 https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0309e23377/
It's a long ride on the local Utsunomiya line out of Tokyo to JR Koganei, but entirely reachable as a half day trip without a JR pass. You can reserve a green car seat on the platform with a Suica card (no mobile suica) or just ride the regular cars (metro style, not ltd. express style seating). There's a taxi rank with 1,000 yen flat fare to the park during the flower festival period along the right hand side of the JR Koganei Station. Pick up is also by calling the Taxi companies and the park office just a little bit behind the taxi pick-up spot helped me call for a pick up around 17:00 (I don't speak Japanese & this is definitely a local's mostly area).
天平の丘公園の桜 https://hanami.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0309e23377/
It's a long ride on the local Utsunomiya line out of Tokyo to JR Koganei, but entirely reachable as a half day trip without a JR pass. You can reserve a green car seat on the platform with a Suica card (no mobile suica) or just ride the regular cars (metro style, not ltd. express style seating). There's a taxi rank with 1,000 yen flat fare to the park during the flower festival period along the right hand side of the JR Koganei Station. Pick up is also by calling the Taxi companies and the park office just a little bit behind the taxi pick-up spot helped me call for a pick up around 17:00 (I don't speak Japanese & this is definitely a local's mostly area).